1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an articulated, oil-cooled piston for an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention relates to a piston having an annular plate covering an annular cooling oil duct in the piston head.
2. The Prior Art
Pistons are known from German Patent 42 08 037, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,363. In this reference, the annular plate used for covering the hollow space defining the cooling oil chamber is a suitably divided, radially-fixed tensioned plate spring. The plate spring freely rests radially inside and outside on respective axially-opposed supports.
In the known embodiment, the expense and expenditure in manufacturing the special support areas for the plate spring is a drawback. It is also a disadvantage that the tensioned plate spring produces undesirable torque on the piston head. It would therefore be desirable to provide an annular plate which is simply supported within the piston head in an untensioned state.